Jess Van Zeil

Eye Won Jess Van Zeil

At 21, Jess Van Zeil felt invincible. From Bungee Jumping to SCUBA diving in South Africa, Jess was fulfilling her dreams as a mad adventurer; her future crammed with plans as a loving daughter, passionate sportswomen and student.

In the midst of her dreams unfolding, life dealt Jess a mighty blow in the form of Conjunctival Ocular Melanoma; a very rare and aggressive form of cancer. Despite returning to Australia, home to some of the best melanoma experts in the world, the cancer was relentless.

Until finally she was told the colossal words, "We're going to have to take the eye."

It seemed unthinkable, "I'm so young. I don't want to look like a freak!"

But the alternative was death in five years.

Losing her eye was only the beginning of the unforgiving emotional and physical battles Jess would face. Defying all odds, Jess emerged having discovered the simple yet incredibly powerful principles that not only guided her through the fear, loneliness and anger that threatened to overwhelm her, but revolutionised her mindset to become powerfully positive and ridiculously resilient.

With her sassy blend of honesty and humour, Jess reveals what it takes to thrive in the face of adversity.

How she did it on her own terms-and with the most dazzling collection of eye-patches in the world!